Coach

Greg Bartley-Head Coach

Greg grew up in Buena Vista, Va.He played on a state champion football team, state tournament basketball team, and was All State in baseball at Parry McCluer High School. Greg played at Louisburg College (N.C.) where he pitched in the Jr. College World Series and on a nationally ranked team at East Tennessee State University.

Greg was drafted by the Seattle Mariners as a pitcher at the end of his senior year in 1982.He graduated with a B.S. degree in Education that year. After successful seasons in “A” ball in 1982 and 1983, he went to play winter ball in Caracas, Venezuela.Although playing with major leaguers and fulfilling a childhood dream of playing professional baseball, he had no peace and was searching for answers, when a teammate, Lee Guetterman (a future major leaguer), witnessed to him and shared scriptures.A few days later, Greg picked up a Gideon Bible from the hotel and read Colossians 3:23, a scripture he had seen on the glove of a former teammate Donnell Nixon.He had played with Donnell and his brother Otis at Louisburg College.In that hotel room Greg accepted Christ as Savior and was set free from the bondage of sin.

The next season Greg met his future wife, Candace, while playing “AA” ball with the Chattanooga Lookouts.Candace had been saved at the age of 12.After playing for six seasons and bouncing back and forth from “AA” to “AAA”, he retired in 1987.He taught school at Sequatchie Co. High School in Dunlap, Tennessee and coached baseball for 16 years.His teams won 8 district championships and went to the state tournament in 1996, finishing 3rd.His overall record was 283-163.Greg served as a pastor of two United Methodist Churches over six years from 2003-2009 and is currently a missionary with SCORE International.

Greg and Candace have been married for 26 years and have been blessed with three sons; Keith, Brett, and Noah. He is in his first year as head baseball coach at Tennessee Temple University.Spiritual growth and godly character is his ultimate goal while using baseball as a platform to glorify Christ.